


practical magic

by ephemeraldt



Category: ITZY (Band)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Humor, Magic, Potions, Witches, a truly ridiculous situation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:14:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29920182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ephemeraldt/pseuds/ephemeraldt
Summary: Yeji is a witch-in-training and hopelessly unlucky in everything she does. Ryujin is just along for the ride.
Relationships: Hwang Yeji/Shin Ryujin
Comments: 20
Kudos: 72





	practical magic

Yeji didn’t mean to turn the girl scouts into rufous grasshoppers. It was their fault for opening the door instead of knocking. 

Okay, maybe it was a little her fault too. 

“The charm was meant to keep out very dangerous individuals,” Yeji sighs. One of the grasshoppers crawls across her left shoe. Yeji scowls at it. 

“Well at least you know it works,” Ryujin says. She’s eating the fucking girl scout cookies. Her feet are propped up against one of Yeji’s cauldrons. Yeji wants to hex that smug look off her face. 

But she has more pressing matters at hand. She reaches into the crowded sink, fishing around until she finds a mason jar that’s passably clean. She tosses it in Ryujin’s direction, and thanks to her star aim, Ryujin catches it. 

“Stop snacking and help me round up these little girls,” Yeji says. 

“Aye aye, captain,” Ryujin says. Yeji would chastise her for the mocking tone, but right then she spots two more grasshoppers in the corner. She grabs an empty yogurt dish and gets to hunting.

On Saturday, they go to the farmer’s market, and then to Chaeryeong’s supply shop, an unassuming place in the middle of town where Yeji can always find good mandrake root. 

Today, however, she’s on the hunt for something a little more exotic. 

“I’m looking for the heart of a banshee,” Yeji says, placing her hands firmly on the counter to demonstrate that she means business. Ryujin hangs back, inspecting some jars of slime on the discount shelf. 

“We have one, but I’m reluctant to sell it to you,” Chaeryeong says. “Word on the street is you turned a bunch of girl scouts into crickets.”

“Grasshoppers, actually,” Ryujin says, unhelpfully. Yeji doesn’t even know why she lets Ryujin tag along on these errands anymore. 

“See, that’s concerning,” Chaeryeong says. “And besides, we don’t typically sell top shelf items to those without an official coven membership.”

Yeji grits her teeth. Damn her in-training status. It’s been years now that she’s had to watch her friends move on to become full-grown witches, all while she’s been stuck in the purgatory that is mastering her skills. 

“Please, Chaerry,” Yeji says. She hopes she can convey just how desperate she is. “For me.” 

Chaeryeong glances around the room. They’re the only three people in the shop. “Alright. Fine.” 

The cottage Yeji calls home is always in slight disarray. On good days it’s cozy, on bad days it’s a fresh circle of hell. 

Ryujin doesn’t mind, she seems content with living in filth. Not that Ryujin lives there. 

It’s hard work, maintaining a cottage. And the housework charms Yeji attempts aren’t much of a help. The one time she tried a dishwashing spell, she gave her sink a permanent clog. Never again. But she loves being surrounded by the forest, and having her own space. The chores are a small price to pay for the joys of living alone. 

Although she supposes she doesn’t really spend much time alone, anymore. 

When Yeji met Ryujin two years ago, she was working as a woodcutter’s apprentice for the summer. That’s how she found her way to Yeji’s cottage - she was looking for trees to murder or something. When Yeji tells the story, she goes on and on about how Ryujin was lost, alone and helpless in the big scary woods. When Ryujin tells the story, she claims she was simply getting to know the area on her lunch break. 

Either way, Ryujin ended up stumbling across Yeji’s cottage. She had been shocked to find a house in the deepest part of the forest, so like any average deviant, she decided the best mode of action would be breaking and entering. 

“I’m friendly,” Ryujin protests, when Yeji tells this part. 

“You’re stupid,” Yeji corrects her. 

Their first encounter ended with Ryujin’s eyebrows being almost all-the-way singed off, and Yeji apologizing while simultaneously giving a lecture about the dangers of catching a witch off-guard. 

“Witch-in-training,” Ryujin says, when Yeji tells this part. The asshole. 

When Ryujin left that day, Yeji assumed she’d never see the woodcutter girl again. But Ryujin came back. And then never stopped coming back. 

Yeji keeps the jar of girl scouts by her kitchen window. She pokes holes in the lid so they can have fresh air. She still feels terrible about the whole situation. 

It doesn’t help that the girl scouts’ parents have taken to openly glaring at her when she ventures into town. Luckily, rumors are just rumors, and there’s no proof that she’s in any way responsible for the mysterious disappearances. If she can just get the girl scouts back to human form quickly, it will be no harm done. 

And she’s almost finished collecting the ingredients for the transformation potion. Banshee heart, check. Harpy fingernail, check. Horn of toad, check. There’s a cave near the edge of town, and she knows she’ll find the exact cobwebs she needs there. 

“This is fucking cool,” Ryujin says, tilting her head back. “And listen, it echoes. Echo, echo, echo…Yeji?” Ryujin’s voice trails off. 

Yeji is frozen, stopped dead in her tracks. Because there, in the cave, are Jisu and Yuna, and there’s a very familiar-looking ring on Yuna’s finger. 

“Yuna,” Yeji says. “Did you make the coven?” 

“Oh, hi Yeji!” Yuna says, as sunshiney as ever. “Yeah, a few days ago. It feels so good to be done with all my training.” She giggles. Yeji swallows the lump in her throat. Yuna’s practically a _kid._ A prodigy, sure, but still a kid. How did she become a real witch before Yeji? 

“We’re all so proud of her,” Jisu says. She eyes Yeji up and down, a knowing look in her eye. “I see you had the same idea to come here for ingredients. What are you making? Transformation potion?” 

“No,” Yeji lies. Stupid rumors, already spread to the coven. They probably talk about her all the time, about how hopeless her case is and how none of her spells seem to go right. 

Jisu and Yuna leave, and Yeji just stands there, trying not to cry. She feels a hand on her shoulder, and turns to see Ryujin. 

“I, um, gathered up some cobwebs for you,” Ryujin says. “I don't know if I did it right.” 

“I’m sure it’s fine,” Yeji says. She’s sick of this dumb cave already. “Let’s go make this potion.” 

Of course. Of course she would forget an ingredient. Screaming bitterweed, essential to every transformation spell. How could she be so _birdbrained._

The sick truth is staring at her right in the face. Nothing ever goes right for her. She’s cursed, maybe, or otherwise just a miserable excuse for a witch. _In-training,_ the evil part of her brain supplies. Christ. How is she ever supposed to make the coven when she can’t stop creating trouble for herself?

“I’m a failure,” Yeji says. She can feel Ryujin watching her as she buries her face in her hands. “You were right about me all along.” 

“You really think that’s how I feel about you?” Ryujin asks, voice softer than normal. 

And that. That _really_ makes Yeji upset. Because how is she supposed to know how Ryujin feels about her? All they’ve done is dance around the subject, for two whole years. Every time Yeji tries to bring it up, Ryujin pulls away.

“I have no idea how you feel about me,” Yeji says. “And I think I’d like to be alone right now.” 

She hasn’t once kicked Ryujin out since the day she gave her a key. So maybe that’s why Ryujin doesn’t say anything, just shrugs her jacket on and leaves. 

That night, Yeji misses her. Dearly. She tells herself it’s stupid. Ryujin always leaves at the end of the day. Today is no different, just because Yeji’s feelings are louder than normal. 

She still cries, though, and part of her is glad Ryujin isn’t around to see it. 

She should have known that Ryujin never stays away for long. 

“I brought you something,” Ryujin says in the morning. She places a brown paper bag in Yeji's hands. Yeji can immediately tell what it is, just by the smell. 

“Screaming bitterweed,” she says, stunned. “But how did you…”

“I may not have slept last night,” Ryujin says, rubbing the back of her neck. It’s only then that Yeji notices the dark circles under her eyes, and how she’s still in her clothes from the day before. Stupid, stupid, beautiful Ryujin. Yeji loves her so much she barely knows what to do with herself. 

“You didn’t _sleep?”_ she asks. “That’s ridiculous.” 

“Well, big romantic gestures aren’t exactly known for being super down to earth.” 

Yeji stares. She’s pretty sure her mouth is hanging open, dumb, like a fish. “Romantic?” 

“Yeah,” Ryujin says. “It came to my attention last night that you don’t know I’m in love with you. And I guess part of that is my fault. I thought coming here every single day and helping you out when you don’t even pay me would be enough, but clearly you’re super dense.” 

Yeji feels an impossible lightness from her head to the tips of her toes. She almost doesn’t believe what she’s hearing, but at the same time, it’s so _Ryujin_ that it can’t be anything but true. She wants to scream _I love you too_ at the top of her lungs, but all she can manage in the moment is, “So this is your big confession moment and you’re going to insult me?” 

Ryujin just smiles, small yet radiant. “I’ve been loving you and making fun of you for a long time, Yeji. I’m not going to stop now.” 

And that’s enough to send Yeji reeling forward so she can press her lips against Ryujin’s. It’s softer than she imagined, but there’s fire there, fire and something else. Magic, maybe. 

Just as soon as it begins, it’s over. Ryujin pulls away. “I want to do that some more, don’t get me wrong,” she says, a little flushed. “But I think we have some girl scouts to transform first.” 

Yeji swallows. She looks down at her feet. “Do you really think I can do it?” 

“You can,” Ryujin says. “But even if you can’t, I’ll still love you.” 

That’s all Yeji needs to hear to grab the bitterweed off the table and make her way to the cauldron in the center of the room. 

She works meticulously to bring the last of the potion together. It has an ominous, sludge-like consistency, but Yeji supposes that means it’s ready. 

She pours a heaping ladleful into the jar with the grasshoppers. In a matter of seconds, the girl scouts are human again, blinking confusedly at each other on Yeji’s kitchen floor. One of them suspiciously eyes an empty box of cookies on the counter. “Did you pay for those?” the little girl asks, and Ryujin bursts out laughing. 

Yeji briefly considers performing a memory spell, so the girl scouts will have no recollection of her or the cottage, but then figures it’s enough messing with magic for one day. All that matters is that the scouts are safe and de-insectfied. If the coven hears about what happens, so be it. 

She successfully crafted the transformation potion. That’s an accomplishment, no matter the circumstances. She’s proud of herself. So who cares if everyone knows. 

“I love you,” Ryujin says, leaning her head on Yeji’s shoulder. “And I think you’re a hell of a witch.” 

_In-training,_ Yeji thinks, but she doesn’t say it this time. Instead, she kisses Ryujin again, and again and again until the cottage and the woods and everything else seems to melt away. 

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are always appreciated! you can find me on twitter @ieeyub


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